1. Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to a technology for linking information processing apparatuses such as printers or multifunction peripherals.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming system is configured by interconnecting a plurality of image forming apparatuses to be communicable with one another via a network such as a local area network (LAN) or short-range wireless communication. There is even an image forming system configured such that a plurality of image forming apparatuses are linked to form an image. Linking the plurality of image forming apparatuses enables distribution execution of a print job such as copying or printing among the image forming apparatuses or transfer to an image forming apparatus of a linkage destination.
To link the plurality of image forming apparatuses, it is desirable to establish linkage by an intuitive and simple operation. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-229867 discusses a technology for linking two or more communication devices by pressing buttons. Pressing buttons at a communication device of a linkage source and a communication device of linkage destination enables establishment of linkage between these communication devices.
When a print job is executed in linkage among the plurality of image forming apparatuses, the print job generally starts after an image forming apparatus of a linkage destination is selected based on an address. However, after the start of the print job at one image forming apparatus, the print job may be executed in linkage with another image forming apparatus in the midway. For example, after the start of copying at one image forming apparatus, if a nearby image forming apparatus is not executing any job, the copying may be continued by using this nearby image forming apparatus. Accordingly, when the print job is executed in linkage with the nearby image forming apparatus on the spur of the moment, it is desirable to establish the linkage by an intuitive and simple method. The method discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-229867 can satisfy such requirements because the linkage can be established by pressing the buttons.
However, anybody can press the button. As a result, linkage is established even when users who have pressed the button at the image forming apparatus of the linkage source and the button at the image forming apparatus of the linkage destination are different. In this case, by the other's operation, a print product may be output to an image forming apparatus unintended by the user. The user may operate the other's job by mistake. In an environment such as an office where a plurality of users shares an image forming system, such erroneous operations need to be prevented.